Motor controller



Dc. I0, 1929. E. w. SEEGER 1,739,330

MOTOR CONTROLLER Filed Aug. 27, 1926 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN W. SEEGER, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T CUTLER-HAMMER, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MOTOR CONTROLLER Application filed August 27, 1926. Serial No. 131,906.

This invention relates to improvements in motor controllers, and more particularly to controllers for motor-operated tramrail carriers.

Such carriers are particularly adapted for use in factories Where it is desired to dispatch material or articles from a given point to various other points along the carrier line selectively. The operation normally includes lowering and hoisting the carrier at the dispatching station, then directing the same to another preselected station, where it may be lowered and hoisted and returned directly to the dispatching station,two independently operable motors being preferably provided for the carrier.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and etlicient push-button control system for effecting control of certain of the aforementioned operations.

Another object is to provide novel means whereby the destination of the carrier may be preselected at the dispatching station.

Another object is to provide means whereby the return of the carrier to the dispacthing station may be controlled from the point to which it was dispatched.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that Various changes may be made in the details of construction and operation of the controller without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a schematic and diagrammatic view of a controller constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 2 is an across-the-line diagram of the circuit connections illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, M indicates the armature and series field of a motor mounted on the carrier (not shown) and adapted when energized to effect movement of the carrier along the tramrail, said motor being reversible by means of reversing switch 00 to control the direction of travel of the carrier. Also mounted on the carrier is a second motor M the latter being controllable by reversing switch 3 to efiect hoisting or lowering of the carrier. The carrier is also provided with a pair of trolley contactors t and t the latter being normally connected with line L upon closure of main switch MS, Whereas the former is adapted to be connected with line L in the manner now to bedescribed. Thus the trolley contactor 25 is adapted to engage a conductor composed of a plurality of normally dead sections a, b, 0 and (Z, with alternate normally live sections 6, f and g, insulators h, 2', j, in, Z and m being interposed between said sections.

Energization of the section a is dependent upon closure of electroresponsive switch 1, said switch having normally open auxiliary contacts 10 for a purpose hereinafter described. Energization of section b is dependent upon closure of electroresponsive switch 2 said switch having normally open auxillary Contacts 11, 12 and 13; and energization of section 0 is dependent upon closure of electrorespective switch 3, the latter having normally open auxiliary contacts 14, 15 and 16. Similarly, energization of section d is dependent upon closure of electroresponsive switch 4*, the latter having normally open auxiliary contacts 17.

Each of said switches 1 2 ,3 and 4 is of the normally open type, initial energization of the first three switches being control-. lable by normally open push-button switches 1 1 and 1, respectively; said push-button switches being located at the dispatching station, indicated at 1. Energization of switches 2 and 3* may be effected alternatively by closure of normally open push-button switches 2 and 3 of stations 2 and 3, respectively, located at intermediate points along the tramway. Initial. energization of switch 4 is dependent solely upon closure of pushbutton switch 4 of station 4, which is the opposite end station of the tramway. It will of course be understood that push-button switches 1 1 and 1 are located at a convenient point for control by the operator at thedispatching station, whereas push-buttons 2, 3 and 4 are respectively located at points convenient to the operators at the other stations.

Maintaining circuits are provided for each of the electroresponsive switches 1 2 3 and 4 through the medium of their respective auxiliary contacts; whereas interruption of energization of all of said switches is insured upon opening of a normally closed double-pole limit switch LS. Said limit switch is located in the path of the carrier adjacent the dispatching station of the tramway, whereby upon engagement of the carrier therewith deenergization of switch 1 is insured, with consequent deenergization and stopping of motor 3 Operation of the controller will now be described, with particular reference to the diagram of Fig. 2. Thus, assuming the carrier to be in lowered position at the dispatching station, the operator will throw the reversing switch 3 from off position to the position providing for operation of motor M in the hoisting direction upon completion of the motor circuit. Said circuit may be completed by temporarily closing push-button switch 1, which completes an energizing circuit for the winding of switch 1 Said circuit may be traced from line L by conductor 18 through the left-hand pole of the limit switch LS, by conductor 19 through said push-button switch 1, by conductor 20 through said winding, and by conductor 21 through the right-hand pole of the limit switch to line L The main con tacts of switch 1 are thereupon closed, thereby completing the circuit of motor M said circuit extending from line L by trolley line or conductor 22 through 'contactor 25 conductors 23, 24, and in the desired direction through the series field and armature of motor M depending upon the position of switch 3 thence by conductors 25 and 26 through. contactor t section a and conductor 27 through said main contacts of switch 1 and by conductors '28 and 29 to line L As will be noted, the auxiliary contacts 10 of switch l upon closure provide a maintaining circuit for the latter, shunting push-button switch 1. After the carrier has been hoisted switch 3 is thrown to neutral position, thereby disconnecting motor M from the line.

If it is desired to dispatch the carrier to the next station, that is, station 2, it is only necessary to throw switch a: to a position providing for operation of motor M in a direction to move the carrier toward the right, inasmuch as energization of section a is maintained in the manner aforedescribed. The energizing circuit of motor M as controlled by switch 00 will be obvious from that described in connection with motor M With motor in? thus energized the carrier will be driven in an thence across insulator 2', into engagement with the dead section b, which will cause interruption of the motor circuit and consequent stopping of the carrier at station 2. The operator at station 2 will then throw switch 00 to neutral position and switch y from neutral to the position for efi'ectingoperation of motor M in a lowering direction upon energization of the dead section 6. Such energization may be efiected by the operator at station 2 by temporarily closing push-button switch 2, which completes an energizing circuit for the winding of switch 2 said circuit extending from line L by conductor 18 through the limit switch, by conductors 30 and 31 through said push-button switch, by conductor 82 through said winding, and by conductors 33 and 34 through the limit switch to line L The main contacts of switch 2 are thus closed to effect energization of section 5, with consequent lowering of the carrier. Switch 2 provides a maintaining circuit for itself through closure of auxiliary contacts 11 and 13, shunting push-button switch 2 WVhen the carrier has been lowered switch g is thrown to off position, and when it is desired to hoist the carrier switch y is thrown to the position to efi'ect reverse op eration of motor h lVhen the carrier has been hoisted switch y is again thrown to off, or neutral position, whereupon said carrier may be returned to the dispatching station by movement of switch ca from off to the position for 'efiecting operation of motor M in the reverse direction from that aforedescribed; it being remembered that the contacts of switches 2 and 1 are maintained in closed position, so that trolley cont-actor 25 may engage the live sections I), e and a, respectively. At the endiof the return movement of the carrier to the dispatching station the normally closed contacts of the limit switch LS are opened, thereby interrupting the maintaining circuits of switches 2 and 1 with consequent opening of the contacts thereof and deadenin of the sections a and b. After the swit ch 00 has been thrown to ofi position the contacts of limit switch LS may be permitted to rcclose. Thereupon switch g is thrown to lowering position, and upon clepression of push-button switch 1' switch 1 will be reclosed, thus energizing section a for lowering of the carrier,--the maintaining circuit of switch 1 being provided in the manner aforedescribed.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that if desired the limit switch LS may be arranged to interrupt only the maintaining circuits of the several electroresponsive switches,thus providing for control by the various push-button switches under certain conditions irrespective of the position of said limit switch.

Assuming hoisted positioning of the car- 1 rier at the dispatching station the same may be dispatched to station 3 by temporarily closing push-button contacts 1*, which completes an energizing circuit for the winding of switch 2 ,said circuit extending from line L to conductor 30, as heretofore traced, thence by conductor through said push-button contacts 1", by conductors 36 and 32 through said winding to line L as previously traced. Upon closure of auxiliary contacts 11 and 13 of switch 2 a maintaining circuit is provided for the latter, as aforedescribed. Switch 1 is also energized and maintained closed as the result of the hoisting operation of the carrier. Nevertheless if switch 1 should have become deenergized through accidental opening of the limit switch LS after the hoisting operation, an energizing circuit therefor will again be completed due to closure of auxiliary contacts 11 and 12 of switch 2 ,-said last-mentioned circuit extending from line L to conductor 30, thence by conductor 37 through said auxiliary contacts 11 and 12, by conductors 38 and 20 through the winding of switch 1 to line L Thus with switch 3/ in 05 position and switch :0 in position to effect operation of motor M for outward travel of the carrier, the trolley contactor 6 will travel across live sections a, e, Z) and f of the conductor, and the operation of motor M will be interrupted when said trolley contactor runs across-insulator 72 into engagement with the dead section 0. Switch 00 is then thrown to ofl position and switch 1 thrown, from off to lowering position, so that upon energization and closure of switch 3 by temporary closure of push-button switch 3" section 6 will be energized to provide for lowering operation of motor M Said energizing circuit for the winding of switch 3 may be traced from line L to conductor 30, by conductor 41 through said push-button switch 3"-, conductor 42 through said winding, and by conductors 43 and 34 to line L When the carrier is lowered switch y is thrown to off position; and the carrier may then be hoisted by moving switch 1 to hoisting position. After hoisting, switch 3 is again thrown to neutral and switch a: is thrown to reverse position to provide for return movement of the carrier to the dispatching station,it being remembered that each of switches 3 2 and 1 is closed and maintained closed, so that tramrail sections 0, f, b, e and a are energized.

Similarly, with the carrier in hoisted position at the dispatching station and with switches m and 3 in neutral position, control conditions may be preselected for effecting movement of the carrier to station 4. Such control may be effected by temporarily closing push-button switch 1 at the dispatching station, thereby completing an energizing circuit for the winding of switch 3 which extends from line L to conductor 30, by conductor 39 through said push-button switch 1, by conductors 40 and 42 through said winding, and thence to line L as previously traced,limit switch LS being in its normally closed position. Upon closure of switch 3* a maintaining circuit is provided therefor, said circuit extending from line L to conductor 30, by conductor 44 through auxiliary contacts 14 and 16, by conductors 45 and 42 through the winding of switch 3 and thence to line L An energizing circuit for the winding of switch 2 is also provided upon closure of the auxiliary contacts of switch 3 said circuit extending from line L to conductor 44 as previously traced, thence through auxiliary contacts 14 and 15, by conductors 46 and 32 through said winding to line L A maintaining circuit for switch 2 is provided through closure of its auxiliary contacts 11 and 13, as aforedescribed. Closure of auxiliary contacts 11 and 12 will likewise insure completion of an energizing circuit for switch 1 as aforedescribed; whereas under the assumed conditions switch 1 will be closed already as the result of the hoisting operation.

Each of switches 3 2 and 1 being thus closed and maintained closed, the sections a, Z) and 0 will be energized upon passage of trolley contactor t into engagement therewith. Therefore when the operator at the dispatching station throws switch 00 to the position for effecting movement of the carrier in the outward direction the trolley contactor t will pass successively through live sections a, e, b, 7, 0 and 9, whereas the circuit of motor M will be interrupted when said contactor comes into engagement with the dead section (Z, and the carrier will be brought to rest at station 4; the energizing circuits of switches 3 2 and 1 being maintained, however. The operator at station 4 may then throw switch w to neutral and switch 3 to lowering position; whereupon the carrier may be lowered by temporarily closing push-button switch 4*, which results in closure of the main contacts of switch 4 with consequent energization of section (Z. The energizing circuit of switch 4 may be traced from line L to conductor 30, by conductor 47 through said push-button switch 4, and by conductor 48 through the winding of said switch to line L a maintaining circuit for switch 4 being provided through closure of its auxiliary contacts 17.

\Vhen the carrier has been lowered and hoisted at station 4, switch g is thrown to neutral and switch :0 is thrown from neutral to the position for effecting return movement of the carrier, each of the sections cl, 9, c, f, b, e anda being energized in the manner last described, so that motor M will be energized until the carrier effects opening of limit switch LS at the dispatching station, whereupon all of the switches 1 2 3 and 4 are (lo-energized, with consequent stopping 5 of motor M it will be apparent that the carrier may be dispatched from station 2 to station 3 or from station 3 to station 4 after the hoisting operation by simply throwing switch 3 to neutral and then throwing switch to to the position for effecting outward travel of the carrier.

Similarly, it will be understood that ropes, chains, or other suitable means may be employed for eflecting operation of switches a: and 2 when the carrier is in hoisted position.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a controller for motor operated carriers and the like, the combination with a trolley conductor formed of a plurality of alternate normally dead and normally live sections, of a trolley contactor adapted for engagement therewith, a dispatching station, and means comprising a plurality of switches located at said dispatching station, each of said switches being adapted upon closure thereof to eii ect energization of one of said dead sections and certain of said switches being also adapted upon closure thereof to effect energiza'tion of other of said dead sections,

whereby said carrier may be directed at will from said dispatching station to any one of a ph-irality of predetermined points selectively.

In a controller for motor operated carriers and the like, the combination with a trolley conductor formed of a plurality of alternate normally dead and norm-ally live sections, of a trolley contactor adapted for engagement therewith, an electroresponsive switch associated with each of said normally dead sections and adapted to control the energi'zation thereof, means for ellecting energization of certain of said switches to direct the carrier to a predetcrn'iined point, said means including means adapted upon closure of one 01 said switches to insure closure of all preceding switches.

'3. In a controller for motor operated carriers and the lll-IG, the combination with a sectional trolley conductor having alternate dead and live sections, of atrolley contactor adapted for engagement therewith, a plurality of normally open electroresponsive switches adapted when closed to 'oilect energization of the respective normally dead sections, a dispatching station atone end of said conductor comprising a plurality of switches each adapt ed when closed to effect energization of one of said electroresponsive switches, and interlocking means associated with the latter and adapted upon closure thereof to ellect closure of all preceding electroresponsive switches.

4. In a controller for motor operated carriers and the like, the combination with a sectional trolley conductor having alternate normally dead and normally live sections, of a trolley contactor adapted for engagement therewith, a plurality of electroresponsive switches adapted when closed to effect energi- Zation of the respective normally dead sections, a carrier dispatching station adjacent one end of said conductor comprising a plurality "of push-button switches each adapted when closed to ellect energization of one of said el'ectrorcsponsive switches, auxiliary contacts on certain of said electroresponsive switches adapted upon closure of each of the latter to effect energization of the next preceding electroresponsive switch to thereby pro ide for movement of the carrier to a predetermined point, said point being determined by engagement of the contactor with a dead section of said conductor, means pro viding for reverse operation of the carrier motor, and a switch at said point adapted when closed to elfect-energization of said last mentioned dead section to thereby provide for return of the carrier to the dispatching station.

5. In a controller for motor operated carriers and the like, the combination with a sectional trolley conductor having alternate normally dead and normally live sections, of a trolley contactor adapted for engagement therewith, a plurality of electroresponsive switches adapted when closed to effect energization or" the respective normally dead sections, carrier dispatching station adjacent one end of said conductor comprising a plurality of push-button switches each adapted when closed to effect energization of one of said electroresponsive switches, means pro viding a maintaining circuit for each of said electroresponsive switches, auxiliary contacts on certain of said electroresponsive switches adapted upon closure of each of the latter to effect energization of the n xt preceding electroresponsive switch to thereby provide for movement of the carrier to a predetermined point, said point being determined by engagement of the contactor with a dead section of said conductor, means providing for reverse operation of the carrier motor, and a switch at said point adapted when closed to effect on ergization of said last-mentioned dead section to thereby provide for return of the carrier to the dispatching station.

6. In a controller for motor operated carriers and the like, the combination with a sectional trolley conductor having alternate normally dead and normally live sections, of a trolley contactor adapted for engagement therewith, a plurality of electroresponsive switches adapted when closed to ellect energization of the respective normally dead sections, a carrier dispatching station adjacent one end of said conductor comprising a plurality of push-button switches each adapted when closed to effect energization of one of said electroresponsive switches, means providing a maintaining circuit for each of said electroresponsive switches, auxiliary contacts on certain of said electroresponsive switches adapted upon closure of each of the latter to effect energization of the next preceding electroresponsive switch to thereby provide for movement of the carrier to a predetermined point, said point being determined by engagement of the contactor with a dead section of said conductor, means providing for reverse operation of the carrier motor, a switch at said point adapted when closed to effect enegization of said lastmentioned dead section to thereby provide for return of the carrier to the dispatching station. and a normally closed limit switch located adjacent to said dispatching station and adapted upon return movement of said carrier to efiect interruption of the energizing circuits of all of said electroresponsive switches.

7 In a controller for motor operated tramrail carries and the like, the combination with a pair of motors mounted on the carrier and switches for individually efiecting reverse operation thereof, one of said motors being adapted to efiect hoisting 0r lowering of said carrier and the other being adapted to effect forward and reverse movement thereof along the tramrail, a trolley contactor for said motors and a trolley conductor comprising a plurality of alternate dead and live sections with which said contactor is adapted to engage, a carrier station adjacent each of said dead sections, said stations including a dispatching station, means comprising a plurality of push-button switches at the dispatching station each adapted upon closure thereof to effect energization of certain of said dead sections to provide for movement of said carrier to the dead section at another of said stations, and means at said last-mentioned station for effecting energization of said last-mentioned section, to thereby provide for return of the carrier to the dispatching station upon operation of the motor reversing switch.

8. In a controller for motor operated tramrail carriers and the like, the combination with a motor for efiecting hoisting and low ering of the carrier and a motor for effecting forward and reverse movement along the tramrail, a trolley conductor comprising a plurality of alternate dead and live sections and a contactor mounted on the carrier adapted for engagement therewith, a plurality of electroresponsive switches each adapted when energized to effect energization of one of said normally dead sections, a carrier station adjacent each of said normally dead sections, one of said stations being a dispatching station, and means for effecting movement of said carrier from the latter to any other station at will, said means comprising a plurality of push-button switches at the dispatching station and each adapted to effect energization of one or more of said electroresponsive switches, and a push-button switch at the station to which the carrier is dispatched for effecting energization of the adjacent dead section for effecting continued or reverse movement of the carrier according to the position of the motor reversing switch.

9. In a controller for motor operated tramrail carriers and the like, the combination with a motor for effecting hoisting and lowering of the carrier and a motor for effecting forward and reverse movement along the tramrail, a trolley conductor comprising a plurality of alternate dead and live sections having insulated portions therebetween and a contactor mounted on the carrier adapted for engagement therewith, a plurality of electroresponsive switches each adapted when energized to effect energization of one of said normally dead sections, a carrier station adjacent each of said normally dead sections, one of said stations being a dis patching station, and means for effecting movement of said carrier from the latter to any other station at will, said means comprising a plurality of push-button switches at the dispatching station and each adapted to effect energization of one or more of said electroresponsive switches, and a puslrbutton switch at the station to which the carrier is dispatched for efiecting energization of the adjacent dead section for efiecting continued or reverse movement of the carrier along the tramrail or for efiecting lowering or hoisting thereof according to the position of the motor reversing switches respectively.

10. In a controller for motor operated carriers and the like, the combination with a trolley conductor formed of a plurality of alternate normally dead and normally live sections, of a trolley contactor adapted for engagement therewith, a dispatching station, means comprising a plurality of switches located at said dispatching station, each of said switches being adapted upon closure thereof to efiect energization of one of said dead sections and certain of said switches being also adapted upon closure thereof to effect energization of other of said dead sections, whereby said carrier may be directed at will from said dispatching stat-ion to any one of a plurality of predetermined points selectively, and cooperative means on said carrier and at said predetermined points for effecting return of said carrier to said dispatching station.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDW'IN W. SEEGER. 

